How Many Drinks? – English Lyrics

• By: Miguel, Kendrick Lamar

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the nuances of modern conversational English through 'How Many Drinks?' by Miguel. This song is perfect for learning the language of flirtation and social bar-talk, offering a look at idiomatic expressions and the rhythmic cadence of contemporary American R&B lyrics.

[English]

Frustration, watching you dance

Invitation, to get in them pants

Come closer baby, so I can touch

One question, am I movin' too fast?

Cause I ain't leavin' alone, I feel like I could be honest, babe

We both know that we're grown

That's why I wanna know

How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?

Yeah, you look good and I got money

But I don't wanna waste my time

Back of my mind, I'm hopin' you say two or three

You look good, we came to party

But I don't wanna waste my time

Temptation, is calling your name

Sweet persuasion, oh, baby this is a game

Come closer, baby, if you like what you hear

Impassioned, is what I'm makin' you feel

'Cause I ain't leavin' alone, I feel like I could be honest, babe

We both know that we're grown

That's why I wanna know

How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?

Yeah, you look good and I got money

But I don't wanna waste my time

Back of my mind I'm hopin' you say two or three

You look good, we came to party

But I don't wanna waste my time (Waste my time)

Aha, and what do we have

Your empty heart and my empty bottle and yellow cab

That you are likely to catch 'cause your latest ex made you mad

So I figured the perfect catch would be you if I made the pass

Pool full of liquor then we dive, in it

Knowing if I lick her I might die, in it

Then reincarnate as a fly, gymnast

Just to flip my tongue on you

This the Olympics

State your name, live in the moment

It's your time to own it, I see it in you baby

She tell me that she never get a first let away

And life is a bitch, but every dog has its day

Holla pull up, pull up, bring it back, come rewind

Pull up them big trucks, that pack come behind

Pool full of liquor then we dive, in it

Pull 'em to the side, let me slide up in it

Or waste your time, or waste your time

Or waste our time, baby it's alright

Baby, it's alright, baby, it's alright, yeah

Oh, it's alright now

Alright, oh yeah

I don't wanna waste my time, no

I don't wanna waste my time, oh no

I don't wanna waste your time, baby

I don't wanna waste our time, oh my time, oh whoa

How many drinks would it take you to leave with me? (Oh, yeah)

Yeah, you look good, and I got money

But I don't wanna waste my time (Come with me baby)

Back of my mind, I'm hoping you say two or three

(Yeah, it's just a short drive home from here)

You look good, we came to party

But I don't wanna waste my time

No no no, I ain't judgin' if you do decide that you might be f-- tonight

What? More power to you if you do decide that you might be f-- tonight

I ain't judgin' if you do decide that you might be f-- tonight

What? More power to you if you do decide that you might be f-- tonight

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Frustration /frʌˈstreɪʃn/ B2	noun - the feeling of being upset or annoyed
Invitation /ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn/ A2	noun - a request for someone to attend something
Persuasion /pəˈsweɪʒn/ C1	noun - the action or fact of persuading someone
Impassioned /ɪmˈpæʃnd/ C2	adjective - filled with or showing great emotion
Temptation /tempˈteɪʃn/ B2	noun - the desire to do something, especially something wrong
Liquor /ˈlɪkər/ B2	noun - alcoholic drink, especially a spirit
Reincarnate /ˌriːɪnˈkɑːrneɪt/ C2	verb - to be born again in another body
Gymnast /ˈdʒɪmnæst/ B1	noun - a person trained in exercises
Honest /ˈɒnɪst/ A2	adjective - free of deceit and untruthfulness
Waste /weɪst/ A2	verb - use or expend carelessly
Empty /ˈempti/ A2	adjective - containing nothing
Perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ A1	adjective - having all the required elements
Decide /dɪˈsaɪd/ A2	verb - make a choice from a number of alternatives
Moment /ˈmoʊmənt/ A2	noun - a very brief period of time
Likely /ˈlaɪkli/ B1	adjective - such as well might happen or be true

Key Grammar Structures

• Am I movin' too fast?

  ➔ Present Continuous for current activity

  ➔ The structure "am movin'" indicates an action happening at the current moment of speaking.

• How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?

  ➔ Second Conditional (hypothetical scenario)

  ➔ Used "would" to ask about a hypothetical situation that hasn't happened yet.

• I'm hopin' you say two or three

  ➔ Zero conditional (implied habit or general preference)

  ➔ The speaker uses the present tense "say" to express a desire for a likely outcome.

• If I lick her I might die, in it

  ➔ First Conditional (future possibility)

  ➔ The structure "If + present simple, might + verb" indicates a potential future result.

• She tell me that she never get a first let away

  ➔ Reported speech (indirect speech)

  ➔ The speaker is reporting what the girl said about her experiences.

• Every dog has its day

  ➔ Idiomatic expression with possessive pronoun

  ➔ Used "its" (possessive pronoun) to refer to the dog's opportunity.

• I ain't judgin' if you do decide

  ➔ Negative present continuous/habitual (informal)

  ➔ "Ain't" is used as a colloquial substitute for "am not" to express current attitude.

• What do we have?

  ➔ Wh- question with auxiliary verb

  ➔ The auxiliary "do" is used to form a question in the present simple tense.